Thus, there is need for a four-wheel trailer that can be pulled behind a tow vehicle without coupling it to the tow vehicle in the conventional fashion, guided to the tow vehicle as desired, and usable in the field without undue threat of unintended movement.
The following U.S. patents and published applications illustrate the efforts of others to address the problems identified and solved by the disclosure herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,195 discloses a wheel lock for a trailer. The wheel lock has at least one tooth moveable between a first position, against the tire, and a second position, remote therefrom. In this fashion, in the first position, the tooth is oriented to substantially prevent forward rotation of the tire by engaging the tire, while in the second position, the tire is free to rotate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,755 discloses an integrated, self-contained, retrieving trailer hitch assembly for use in coupling trailers to large SUVs and RVs. The self-contained module is plugged directly into a vehicle tow bar hitch receiver and connected to the vehicle's electrical power supply. The module-retrieving hitch contains an integral, retracting take-up reel with a cable extending through a docking housing and connected to an extendable docking guide member. The docking member may be adapted for removable connection to a ball hitch assembly generally used for insertion within vehicle tow bar receivers. The docking guide member automatically locks the guide member within the docking housing upon docking. An interlock is provided for unlocking the docking member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,258 discloses a device for aligning the trailer hitch ball on the towing vehicle, and for lifting the trailer hitch on and off the ball. The device comprises a swiveling vertical post assembly in close proximity to the hitch ball. The swiveling vertical post assembly pivots at its attachment point with the towing vehicle, thereby allowing the user to load or unload a trailer from the vehicle even when the trailer is not perfectly aligned directly behind the vehicle. The swiveling vertical post assembly has a pivotal arm which can be moved from an upper pivot point position to a lower pivot point position. In both the upper position and the lower position, the pivotal arm is allowed to rotate from a generally vertical position to a rearwardly inclined position in order to provide a moving cable guide that helps determine the location and direction of movement of the cable and hence the forces exerted on the tongue end. The stationary post has a lower cable receiver for receiving a cable connected to a winch on the tongue of the trailer. Once the cable is anchored to the receiver, operation of the winch creates forces which move the tongue and socket relative to the hitch ball and also pivot the pivoting arm to redirect the direction of the cable and, hence, the socket. The apparatus can be operated two ways: 1) on-loading the trailer hitch onto the ball; and, 2) off-loading the trailer hitch from the ball. Each of these modes of operation has two further modes of operation: (a) when the vehicle is at a higher elevation than the trailer; and (b) when the trailer is at a higher elevation than the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,227 discloses a winch driven cable guidance system for coupling trailers to tow vehicles. A trailer having a trailer hitch coupler is provided. A horizontal roller, a tow vehicle having a coupling ball joint, a winch mounted on the tow vehicle, a coupling ball mounted on the bumper of the tow vehicle, and a series of pulleys are provided. A spring, a cable fitted with an end connection, and cable guiding pulleys are positioned wherein the winch powers the cable drum to reel in the cable and the attached trailer. This assists in connecting the trailer to the towing vehicle, thus effecting a universal joint between the trailer and towing vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,408 discloses a trailer connecting guide for use with a trailer. The trailer connecting guide is attached to one side of the tongue of the trailer and is operable to guide the trailer sufficiently close to the tow vehicle to complete the connection. The trailer connecting guide assembly includes a pulley, a mounting bolt, and a winch cable guide. The cable guide is mounted between the pulley and trailer tongue and includes at least one elongated slot adjacent to the pulley track which restricts the movement of the winch cable with respect to the pulley track so as to prevent the winch cable from pumping out of the pulley track. In operation, a length of cable is first let off the winch and the end of the winch cable is attached to the towing vehicle adjacent the vehicle hitch. A portion of the cable is then slipped around the pulley and guide assembly and any excess slack in the cable is taken up by operation of the winch. Then, as the winch continues to be operated, the trailer tongue and vehicle hitch are brought together sufficiently close to permit the connection to be completed to U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,854 discloses a winch-driven hitch for coupling trailers to tow vehicles. The system comprises a unitary frame pivotally mounted beneath the bumper of the vehicle by a rigid pivot shaft, which projects upwardly from the center of the frame. A rigid base defines a tubular cavity and a platform for mounting a winch adjacent of the cavity. The cavity slidably receives a rigid bar coupled to the trailer. Deflectors project angularly outwardly from the cavity to define a mouth for guiding the bar into alignment as it penetrates the mouth. The frame rotates in response to pressure applied by the cable when the trailer is drawn from either side of the tow vehicle. The bar comprises a tapered end, a locking orifice defined centrally through the bar, and an orificed end for receiving a trailer connector. A rigid travel-limiting stop projects upwardly between the locking orifice and the orificed end. The stop limits travel of the bar relative to the mouth to assure proper coupling. The frame pivots roughly sixty-five degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the cavity. Rotation of the frame is limited by a rigid stop projecting upwardly from the frame. The winch cable is anchored by a hand-tied knot to facilitate repair if broken. A drop pin and a cotter pin assembly are provided to assure safe coupling and to prevent frame rotation during travel. Electrical controls for the winch are mounted remote from the hitching zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,445 discloses a winching mechanism detachably secured to the forward end of the tongue of a trailer. In a first embodiment, a slip nut on a crank operated vertical threaded drive shaft is attached to one end of a cable, the opposite end of which is fitted with a snap hook which can be secured to a ball mount. The cable passes around a pulley at the base of a tubular housing in which the threaded shaft and slip nut are mounted. The pulley is located below the tongue. The cable is provided with a hook which is connected to a ball mount and when the drive shaft is driven by the crank causes the front of the trailer to be lifted and drawn to the towing vehicle for connection of the ball socket to the ball on the ball mount. In a second embodiment, the cable is wound on a crank operated drum and is fed to a pulley located below the tongue in a tubular housing of shorter length than employed in the first embodiment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,852 discloses a trailer tongue communicating with a having first and second assemblies united by a winching apparatus. The first assembly is a housing integral with a handle and a coupler. A bracket, spring return brace, rod stop and pulleys are within the housing. The brace supports the first assembly such that the second assembly can be pulled, lifted, aligned and united therewith. The second assembly has bifurcated bars sandwiching blocks. The blocks have longitudinally aligned apertures having a pull, lift, align rod slidingly disposed through the apertures. One end of a winch cable is attached at a tapered forward end of the rod. The cable now extends to and trains about the first assembly pulleys, the cable returning through an aperture at the tapered forward end of the rod, continuing to extend to a winching apparatus. Winching the cable pulls, lifts, and aligns this second assembly rod until the tapered forward most end thereof abuts the first assembly stop, at which time continued winching results in the bifurcated bars being received into the housing as the rod is forced rearward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,899 discloses a hitch assembly for use with a tow vehicle. The hitch assembly includes a receiver defining a tubular passage mounted on the rear of the tow vehicle, a winch extending a retractable cable rearward through said passage, and a hitch bar connectable to the end of the cable as well as to the hitch fixture of the towed element. The cable can be retracted to draw the hitch bar up within the receiver passage way with the towed element aligned and the hitch connection locked.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,435,255 discloses a hand operated brake adapted for use with a wagon. In the apparatus shown, the brakes are mounted on a rearward extension of the struts supporting the rear axle. The brakes are actuated by depressing the steering lever to pivot the levers by means of the saddle bar. To prevent application of the brakes, the saddle bar is pivotable towards the front in relation to the levers and downwardly so that it is clear of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,020,851 discloses a wagon brake. An upper cross beam has hangers secured to its ends. The hangers have a lower cross bar secured to their lower end. On the ends of the upper cross bar are hooks engaging links adapted to engage hooks on the wagon box or smaller hooks on the frame of the hay rack. Fastening rods are secured to the axle. Threaded forward ends of the rods are inserted through apertures formed in the lower cross bars and have clamping nuts at their ends. The nuts are tightened against the opposite sides of the cross bar and hold the bar against forward or rearward movement. The brake shaft is maintained at a fixed distance from the wheels so that the stroke needed to bring the shoes against the wheels will remain constant.
U.S. Pat. No. 997,959 discloses a vehicle brake for use with a wagon. A wheel is shown, against which the rim or tire of which the brake is to be applied. As the vehicle body is progressively loaded, it sinks lower with reference to the wheel, carrying with it the brake and brake bar. A brake shoe having a limited pivotal movement relative to the brake bar is provided so the brake block may uniformly seat along its entire face upon the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 954,229 discloses a wagon brake. As shown, forward movement of a lever causes a rearward movement of the lower end of a second lever, resulting in corresponding movement of the brake beam and engagement of the shoes against the wheels. This resistance does not affect the power transmission train, since an arch is held on the perch not only by bolts but also by apparatus which, bearing against the rear face of the perch, resists any forward pulling stress.
U.S. Pat. No. 896,391 discloses a wagon brake comprising a wagon body, rear wheels, brake heads, hanger arms, pull arms, a flexible draw connection, sheave blocks, a pulley block, a flexible pull connection, a sheave, and levers. The compound movement provided as shown provides for the brake heads to engage the wagon wheels with a minimum exertion is provided to the pull rope.
U.S. Pat. No. 645,158 discloses a vehicle wheel brake for use with a wagon. A pulley arrangement permits receipt of a chain cooperating with a brake beam, or bar, to distribute braking force to both rear wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 564,669 discloses a vehicle brake for use with a wagon. As shown, a sliding brake-beam is formed by longitudinally disposed bars or strips connecting transverse cleats of a wagon-body. The cleats are also connected by a pair of guide rods, on which the brake bar or beam slides. The brake bar or beam is provided with perforations to receive the guide rods. The brake bar or beam is biased in a position off of the wheels by spiral springs, disposed on the rear portions of the guide-rods and interposed between the rear cleat and the sliding brake bar. The springs are adapted to throw the brake-shoes off the wheels when the brake is unlocked. A transversely-disposed brake-lever is positioned intermediate of its ends to a suitable support of the wagon-body, the inner end of which is connected with the sliding brake bar or beam by a rod received through a perforation of the rear transverse cleat. Its ends are secured to the lever and to the brake beam or bar. The outer end of the brake lever is secured to the rear end of a longitudinally-disposed cable, arranged at one side of the wagon body and extending forward to the brake operating mechanism.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0108731 discloses a system for positioning a towed vehicle relative to a towing vehicle. The system provides a cable extending from a spool to the tip of the boom and over a pulley, a mounting plate secured to a portion of the drop ball hitch, a cable end looped and secured to a hook, a drop ball hitch, a trailer tongue coupler, a tow ball, and a connector in the form of a hook eye secured to the coupler. The position of the connector is set so that, when the hook is engaged with the connector and the cable is wound onto the spool so that the trailer tongue is raised off of the ground, the mounting plate can be pivoted or rotated to a position where the connector is aligned with the with the tow ball 36.
PCT Patent Application No. WO 9317886 discloses a towbar coupling guide assembly mounted on a vehicle tow bar or a trailer drawbar. A winch assembly is provided on the other of the vehicle tow bar or trailer drawbar. The tow bar coupling guide assembly has a triangular or V-shaped base with a series of pulley wheels mounted thereon. The cable from the winch assembly is passed over the pulley wheels and its free end is hooked to an eye adjacent the winch assembly. The winch is then operated to wind in the cable to draw the vehicle tow bar or trailer draw bar toward the other of the vehicle tow bar or trailer drawbar.
Thus, a problem associated with devices that precede the present disclosure is that they do not provide the combination of features yielding the advantages of usability without conventional towing, automatic guidance, prolonged life of towing parts and smoothness of operation, automatic braking and long-range towability.
Yet another problem associated with devices that precede the present disclosure is that they do not provide a mechanism that self guides the vehicle to be towed toward the tow vehicle while pulled in a non-conventional fashion and also provides the other features and advantages described.
Still a further problem associated with devices that precede the present disclosure is that they do not provide a mechanism that self guides toward the traditional hitch point while pulled so that it is more easily secured for conventional towing while also providing the other features and advantages described.
An additional problem associated with devices that precede the present disclosure is that they do not provide apparatus that buffers the jerking forces during startup of pulling to provide smoother movement of a trailer and also provide prolonged life of the parts operative to pull the trailer toward the tow vehicle, while also providing the other features and advantages described.
Another problem associated with devices that precede the present disclosure is that they do not provide apparatus that automatically stops when not being pulled, thereby permitting an operator to work at other tasks during operation of the apparatus, while also providing the other features and advantages described.
An even further problem associated with devices that precede the present disclosure is that they do not provide apparatus that can be towed in the conventional fashion without brake engagement to facilitate longer range movement from point to point, while at the same time also providing the other features and advantages described.
There is a demand, therefore, for a vehicle that offers the combination of features yielding the advantages of usability without conventional towing, automatic guidance, prolonged life of towing parts and smoothness of operation, automatic braking and long-range towability.